Dorothy J. Willett

Funeral services for Dorothy Juanita Garroutte-Willett will be held on Wednesday, July 23rd, 2014 at 10:00 am at Reed Culver Chapel with Pastor Jay Cook officiating. Interment will follow at Blue Springs Cemetery. Visitation will be Tuesday, July 22nd, 2014 from 2:00 pm until 6:00pm. Online condolences for the family may be left at www.reedculver.com.

Dorothy Juanita Garroutte-Willett was born on April 9th, 1928 in Peggs, OK, the daughter of Jay J. and Hazel Ruth Halpain-Garroutte, the first born of four children. She attended primary school in Gideon, OK before entering Central High School in Tulsa, OK where she graduated on May 25, 1945. Mrs. Willett was an avid music fan and in her youth had cherished memories of meeting and mingling backstage with music greats such as Ray Price, Willie Nelson, Patsy Cline and Johnny Cash. Mrs. Willett began her career at Southwestern Bell Telephone Company as an operator in 1946 where she worked until her retirement. She later went on to further her education at the University of Tulsa in 1970. During her studies at TU she received the opportunity to take a trip to Italy. She incorporated the information she learned during her travels into her Sunday School class that she taught for many years in Tahlequah, OK. Mrs. Willett married the love of her life, Robert Borden Willett on August 24th, 1972. They enjoyed fifteen wonderful years together before his passing on September 3rd, 1987. When she wasn’t working, she enjoyed playing computer games during her free time. She also spent hours researching Cherokee history and the family genealogy. Mrs. Willett was called to her eternal home on Saturday, July 19th, 2014. She was 86 years old.

Mrs. Willett is preceded in death by her parents, a brother, Charles Anderson Garroutte; a sister, Jerry Hazel Leppke and a nephew, Robert Hankins.

She is survived by one sister, Elizabeth Marie Hankins and the beloved aunt to six nephews and three nieces, James Hankins, Vince Garroutte, Susan Hankins, Michael Garroutte, Jay Hankins, Jerry “Teddy” Dunn, Robert Leppke Jr., and Cristy Barham. She is the adored great aunt to six grandnephews and nine grandnieces along with one great-grandnephew. Mrs. Willett will be greatly missed by the many friends and loved ones.